Lightsaber
A Lightsaber is a weapon in the Star Wars universe. It consists of a polished metal hilt which projects a blade like construct consisting of a laser based and/or force fielded plasma energy that was usually about 1.33 meters long. The Lightsaber is the signature weapon of the Jedi and their Sith counterparts both of whom can use it for close combat and to deflect blaster bolts and etc. A Lightsaber was a Jedi's main weapon and ally, when their powers were exhausted, their concentration, visibility, awareness was strained, they were crippled by pain or mental stress, or they were not fully trained in their psionic abilities and they needed to resort to physical combat. As users of the Force may be limited to controlling certain amounts of targets at a time or have limited telekinetic strength, especially when awareness is strained or impaired. Therefore being distracted with one task may leave a user open for an attack. This results in the use of unarmed or lightsaber combat. Usage The Lightsaber's energy blade cuts through most substances without resistance, damaging the target in similar ways to super heated, or molten, substances. Their were brief sparks scene on Luke's wrist when his hand was severed by Darth Vader. In Return of the Jedi, as their was no visible damage to the group of Jabba's men that were killed by Luke. This would appear that the lightsaber was being portrayed as a blade like force field construct with enough energy to harm without visible physical damage and could overload and fry machinery with a strike, as Luke destroyed Vaders prothetic right hand in this fashion. This portrayal could also explain why Obi Wan's cloths were not damaged or burned when they were struck by Vader in his duel with Obi Wan, with the contact with the blade in a mortal area being enough to kill, while a strike in a non fatal area would cause a bloody or burned wound. In the films up to Attack of the Clones, it burned through flesh, but also caused blood spatter when it struck an opponent, causing visible blood lose and some gore. Such visual effects were changed by the time of the prequel trilogy, as most wounds dealt by the blade burning through flesh and leaving cauterized wounds, sometimes with blood spatter. In modern Star Wars shows and film, the blade is able to flash cauterize a target on hit, causing ambers and sparks to appear. Despite its power, it can be deflected by another Lightsaber's blade, or by energy shields. Some exotic saber-proof materials, such as certain armors, including Darth Vader's, have been introduced in the Expanded Universe. An active Lightsaber gives off a distinctive hum, which rises in pitch and volume as the blade is moved rapidly through the air. Bringing the blade into contact with an object or another Lightsaber's blade produces a somewhat electric and static crackling sound. The Lightsaber is designed as much for elegance in combat, as well as for ceremony, the lightsaber was a distinctive weapon, the very image of which was inextricably bound with the mythos of the Jedi Order and their polar opposites, the Sith. The lightsaber also became synonymous with the Jedi Order's values to uphold peace and justice throughout the galaxy. This perception endured, despite the many conflicts with lightsaber-wielding Sith and Dark Jedi. The weapon consisted of a smooth, solid, laser like blade made of pure plasma emitted from the hilt and suspended in a force containment field. The field contained the immense heat of the plasma, protecting the wielder, and allowed the blade to keep its shape. The hilt was almost always self-fabricated by the wielder to match his or her specific needs, preferences and style. The less proportionate the blade was to its user, the less effective the user became in combat. Due to the weightlessness of blade and the strong gyroscopic effect generated by it, as well as the blade sometimes being large and unwieldy, lightsabers required a great deal of strength and dexterity to wield, and it was extremely difficult—and dangerous—for the untrained to attempt using. The simple ignition and extension of the blade in the path of target would be enough to harm them or, in the path of a vital area on the target, being potentially fatal, to the point of killing the target instantly. However, in the hands of an expert of the Force, the lightsaber was a weapon to be greatly respected and feared. To wield a lightsaber was to demonstrate incredible skill and confidence, as well as masterful dexterity and attunement to the Force. thumb|250px|A Crossguard Lightsaber. Kylo Ren, from The Force Awakens, utilizes a new lightsaber design that features two energy cross-guards giving it the appearance of a sword. The lightsaber's blade funnels like fire and is outlined with red static electricity instead of solidifying into the smooth, laser beam like, blade, as usually lightsabers do. suggesting a difference in mechanisms in the hilt. His blade has a similar appearance to a lightsaber blade emitted using a compressed or unstable synthetic lightsaber crystal, such of which were scene in the Expanded Universe. Another explanation to the blades fiery and electrical appearance is that the hilt has exposed wiring, and possibly missing or faulty components. The hilt appears to be cobbled together without the proper guidance, and therefore, poorly made, unstable and crude. His blade is also large and unwieldy, causing him to use heavy slashes and downward swings when in combat. Lightsaber Combat Most lightsaber users were trained in proper use of the weapon and then became skilled in lightsaber combat. Such fighting forms were required to compensate for or take advantage of the unique attributes of lightsabers, notably the odd balance of the weapon, all of the weight being in the hilt, and the omni-directional cutting edge. Fighting with lightsabers, or bladework, consisted of parries, deflection, blocks, jabs, sweeps, strokes, lunges, swings, slashes, arcs, counters, thrusts, and thrashes. Training was also accompanied by learning proper fighting and ready stances and positions. Offensively, and aggressively, the goals of combat where usually to inflict minute wounds, stabbing wounds, impalement, amputations, decapitation, dismemberments, or other mutilations. Alternatively, the simple ignition and extension of the blade in the path of target would be enough to harm them or, in the path of a vital area on the target, being potentially fatal, to the point of killing the target instantly. Defensively, the goals of combat where to counter, parry, block, and evade an enemy's attacks. Alternatively, counter attacks could also be offensive and be enough to wound, mutilate, or kill an opponent. It could also be to disarm an opponent by knocking away their weapon, or destroying it. If two lightsaber users clashed their blades together, it is known as a blade lock, with each opponent trying to physically overpower and overwhelm the other by pushing against the opponents blade with great strength, each trying to knock the other off balance and then attack them. Users would either hold their lightsaber with one hand or two. Also, Force users will often use their Force augmented strength, mobility, and senses to aid them in combat. Their strength allowed a user to overpower an opponent, especially while the lightsabers blades are clashed together, as in a blade lock. Their mobility allowed them to more easily sidestep, dodge, evade attacks, as well as quickly countering them, with such a counter being able to strike an opponent in a vulnerable area. Their senses allow them to anticipate and be aware of an immediate danger and therefore be able to predict an enemy's tactics and better fend off against them. Their physical abilities allowed Force users to wield the weapon with almost inhuman precision and accuracy. For Dark Side users, intense and aggressive feelings such as pain, anger, hatred, frustration and rage enhanced overall strength, but at the cost of awareness, reaction time, mental strength, and analytical thinking capabilities, as the user was overwhelmed by their intense and controlled feelings and unable to think clearly, especially in combat, which rendered the user vulnerable to enemy's with more emotional and mental control and, therefore a clearer mind. As users of the Force may be limited to controlling certain amounts of targets at a time or have limited telekinetic strength, especially when awareness is strained or impaired. Therefore being distracted with one task may leave a user open for an attack, which forces them to only use their abilities combatively when they are fully aware and concentrated on a target and not mentally, physically, or emotionally, strained, stressed, impaired, weakened, overwhelmed, unbalanced, or disoriented in any way. This therefore results in a user mostly relying on their senses and physical abilities in combat. *'Form I: Shii Cho', also known as the Determination Form. Roughly every Force User was taught this Form when first handed a lightsaber. *'Form II: Makashi', also known as the Contention Form. Its design is based on Lightsaber vs. Lightsaber Combat. *'Form III: Soresu', also known as the Resilience Form. Its design was based on pure Defense with either ranged or Melee attacks. *'Form IV: Ataru', also known as the Aggression Form. Its design is based around high energy attacks and defenses. *'Form V: Shien/Djem So', also known as the Perseverance Form. Their design is based on manipulating an opponent's attack. *'Form VI: Niman', also known as The Moderation Form. Its design is a conglomeration of the preceding Forms *'Form VII: Juyo/Vaapad', also known as the Ferocity Form. Their design is based on Pure Attack, No Defense. Behind the Scenes Development and Production .|thumb|250px]] When developing the Jedi Knights, who were heroic and honorable peacekeepers, George Lucas needed a weapon that was more than just another weapon but also a symbol that matched their ideals as the whole premises of Star Wars was that it was a romantic fantasy in the great romantic traditions of mythology. Influenced by the romantic Pirate and Swashbuckling films of the forties which showcased the romantic side of fighting where there was chivalry and honor. George envisioned that the lightsabers were really heavy and had to use both hands to wield it and never take a hand off because they were very powerful and had a lot of energy in them. The actors had to work with them as if they were heavy. As the saga went on, they began to slowly move away from the two handed form and sometimes using a one handed form as they made the fights more faster and more intense, and it progressed to being a both two handed and one handed form but still originally was meant to be just a two handed form because of the amount of energy that was being swung around. Visual Effects The original effect of the lightsaber was basically a rotating pole that had movie screen material applied to it, then using a compact motor within the hilt, the rod would rapidly rotate, reflecting the lights on set and creating an in-camera glowing effect. However the glowing effect was not absolute, whenever the actor moved it out of a certain area, the glow would disappear and the actual spinning rod could be seen. These props were also highly limited; they were cumbersome and fragile, often breaking them during fight scenes. In order to partially compensate for this, the blade was rotoscoped and an animated glow was added by tracing onto a blown-up copy of the frame with pen and colored ink, one frame at a time. It was at this phase that blades were given colours, as the props were simple white blades. The lightsaber is both part real and part animated and filmmakers used the real poles to tell them where the sword blades were. Sometimes they used a short blade as the actors would be fighting so close that they would hit the set and sometimes they would use no blade because the blade would either turn on and off in a shot or what the actors were doing was so complicated they couldn't do with swords themselves and they would add in the blades later but took a lot of very careful tracking. The sound of the lightsabers was turned over to Ben Burtt who was also working on the sound effects for R2-D2, the breathing of Darth Vader and the blasters. The sound of the lightsabers was the first thing Ben worked on for the films. His inspiration for what they sounded like was projector motors that produced these mysterious humming sounds when they weren't running. While searching for other elements, Ben had a tape recorder with a broken mike cable (the shielding had come off of it.) and when he walked past the television set in his apartment, it picked up the hum from the picture tube directly into the broken wire creating a buzz which became the clashing sound of when the lightsabers clashed against each other. Notable Lightsabers Gallery External Links *Lightsaber on Wookieepedia * Category:Weapons Category:Objects Category:Star Wars Category:Disney INFINITY Category:Star Wars Rebels Category:Phineas and Ferb Category:Star Wars: The Force Awakens Category:Technology Category:Star Wars: The Clone Wars